II. THE POSITION AND NATURE OF SATAN. Jude 1:8-9 RV — "Yet in like manner these also in their dreamings defile the flesh, and set at naught dominion and rail at dignities. But Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing judgment, but said, The Lord rebuke thee."

First Proposition: The position of the devil was so exalted that even Michael, the archangel, did not dare to bring a railing judgment against him.

The context might seem to imply that the position of the devil was more exalted than that of Michael himself. Further on, other passages will be considered that seem to confirm this idea. Light contemptuous speech about the devil is entirely unwarranted. Ephesians 2:2 — "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience."

Second Proposition: The devil is the Prince of the Power of the Air. John 12:31 — "Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out." John 14:30 — "Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me." John 16:11 — "Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged."

Third Proposition: The devil is the Prince of this World.

When did he become so? Did he become so through Adam and Eve listening to him in Eden, or was this world a department assigned to him of God as separate kingdoms have been assigned to different celestial potentates ( Daniel 10:12-13)? And did he drag his dominion down with him in his own fall? These are questions which the Bible does not seem to answer very clearly, and we ought not to try to be wise above what is written ( Deuteronomy 29:29). But this much is clear: he is now "the Prince of this World." This is clear also from a study of the social and commercial life of the day. 2 Corinthians 4:4 "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

Fourth Proposition: The devil is the god of this age.

The word translated "world" in this passage, both AV and RV, is not the same word translated "world" in passages under the preceding proposition.